Prime-Time Metered Market Monday Ratings: A Night of Repeats Rules on CBS
Ratings Box: What's Hot/What's Not
On the Air Tonight: Prime-Time Programming Options
TV Tidbits: Notes of Interest
TV Trivia Time: A Very Busy Brady _______________________________________________________________________
Prime-Time Metered Market Monday Ratings: A Night of Repeats Rules on CBS
Monday 12/01/08
HH Rtg/Shr CBS 6.7/10 ABC 5.5/ 8 NBC 4.0/ 6 Fox 3.7/ 5 CW 1.8/ 3
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Note: The year-to-year comparisons were not available today.
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Note: The fast national results for Monday will be posted at PIFeedback.com by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Monday, December 1, 2008.
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-Yesterday’s Winners: Shrek the Halls - R (ABC), Two and a Half Men - R (CBS), CSI: Miami - R (CBS)
-Honorable Mention: The Big Bang Theory - R (CBS), How I Met Your Mother - R (CBS)
-Yesterday’s Losers (excluding repeats): Chuck (NBC), Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox), Samantha Who? (ABC), Prison Break (Fox), Privileged (CW), My Own Worst Enemy (NBC)
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-Ratings Breakdown: Despite airing a night of all repeats, CBS still dominated the Monday overnights with its combination of The Big Bang Theory (#2: 5.5 rating/ 8 share), How I Met Your Mother (#2: 5.6/ 8), Two and a Half Men (#1: 8.9/13), Worst Week (#2: 5.0/ 7) and CSI: Miami (#1: 7.7/13). With retention for Worst Week out of Two and a Half Men of just 56 percent, CBS could – and should – be doing much better at 9:30 p.m. Sounds like benchwarmer Rules of Engagement will be called to duty soon. As for The Big Bang Theory encore, who knew it would be so cool to be a nerd!
Holiday repeat Shrek the Halls opened the evening on a winning note for ABC, with a 6.7/10 in the overnights. But without the support of Dancing With the Stars, two episodes of lead-out Samantha Who? dipped to a 4.5/ 7 from 9-10 p.m., with the half-hour breakdown as follows:
That led into Boston Legal, with a second-place 5.4/ 9 from 10-11 p.m., and growth out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Samantha Who? of 15 percent. Next Monday marks the series-finale of Boston Legal.
NBC had little of note on this first Monday of December with its line-up of Chuck (#3: 4.4/ 7), fading Heroes (#2: 5.0/ 8) and canceled My Own Worst Enemy (#3: series low 2.9/ 5). My Own Worst Enemy officially signs off on Dec. 15. As previously announced, NBC will fill Mondays in January with a two-hour edition of upcoming reality/competition Superstars of Dance and new Ryan Seacrest relationship-driven hour Momma’s Boys.
Next was Fox with its soon-to-be split pairing of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (#4: 3.6/ 5), which heads to Friday, and Prison Break (#4: 3.7/ 6), which has its fall season-finale on Dec. 22. And the CW capped off the evening with Gossip Girl (#5: 2.2/ 3) and a Monday airing of Privileged (1.5/ 2), which dipped by 32 percent. Yes, that’s a loser! And there you have it…that’s Monday.
Source: Nielsen Media Research data ____________________________________________________________________________
Ratings Box: What’s Hot/What’s Not
-Craig Ferguson Tops Conan O’Brien: Based on ratings for the week of Nov. 17, CBS’ The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson outdelivered NBC’s competing Late Night with Conan O’Brien by seven percent in households (1.5 rating/5 share vs. 1.4/ 5) and 140,000 viewers (1.99 million s. 1.85 million). The two talkers tied among key adults 25-54.
-Above Average Nation Face the Nation: Based on ratings for Sunday, Nov. 23, CBS’ Face the Nation with Bob Schieffer built year-to-year by 35 percent in households (1.7/5 to 2.3/ 6), 970,000 viewers (2.36 to 3.33 million) and as much as 43 percent among adults 25-54 (0.7/ 3 to 1.0/ 5). Comparably, the veteran public affairs weekly has grown every week in viewers since the 2008-09 season began on Sept. 28.
-How’s This for a Winning Streak?: CBS’ perennial Young and the Restless just finished as the highest rated daytime soap in households for the 1,038th consecutive week.
-Also in Daytime: Through Nov. 21, ABC talker The View is delivering the largest year-to-year increases in daytime in total viewers (+20 percent: 3.56 million to 4.32 million) and 11 percent among women 18-49 (910,000 to 1.01 million).
-Final November 2008 Sweep Results: Based on full 28 days of data (Oct. 30 – Nov. 26, 2008), prime-time leadership was mixed in November. CBS was first in households and total viewers, with a three percent loss in both categories from one year earlier. ABC dominated among key adults 18-49, with its fourth consecutive November victory in the demo (and its longest winning streak for the month since the early 1990s). Even so, the alphabet net was down by 14 percent in the category.
All five networks, in fact, decreased across the board from one year earlier, with fifth-place the CW down by as much as 26 percent in total viewers. Keep in mind, of course, that since the level of DVR penetration has increased from 20 percent at this same point last year to approximately 28 percent at present, the overall results (which do not factor in total DVR usage) may be negatively impacted.
What follows are the final national ratings for the Nov. 2008 sweep (with change versus the comparable year-ago period in parentheses):
-More Eleventh Hour: CBS has picked-up Eleventh Hour for an additional five episodes, bringing the total order for 2008-09 to 18. Season to-date, Eleventh Hour is averaging 10.58 million viewers, with a 2.8 rating/8 share among adults 18-49. Comparably, that puts retention out of lead-in CSI (Viewers: 18.45 million; A18-49: 5.0/12) of just 57 percent in total viewers and 56 percent in the demo.
-Sci Fi Channel to Begin Production on Caprica: Sci Fi Channel has ordered 20 episodes of Battlestar Galactica prequel Caprica, which is slated to debut in 2010. Set 50 years before the parent series, Caprica will tell the story of two rival families in the world of the 12 colonies, a society similar to our own. The cast will include Eric Stoltz, Esai Morales, Paula Malcomson and Rome star Polly Walker.
-American Idol Meets the True Hollywood Story: American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken will be the subject of The E! True Hollywood Story on Friday, Dec. 12 at 9 p.m. ET. This latest installment of the once must see series promises to unveil the inside story of Aiken’s meteoric rise and the recent revelations about his personal life.
-David Gregory Top Choice to Anchor Meet the Press: MSNBC host and NBC White House Correspondent David Gregory is expected to be named the permanent host of NBC’s Meet the Press. But Tom Brokaw will remain in the anchor chair this weekend, where he will interview President-Elect Barack Obama.
-Steve Buscemi Expected to Return to HBO: Former Sopranos star Steve Buscemi is in talks with HBO to headline its new drama pilot Boardwalk Empire, which tells the tale of the rise of Atlantic City, New Jersey in the 1920s. Oscar winner Martin Scorsese will direct the pilot, and Kelly Macdonald (No Country For Old Men) is expected to play Buscemi’s wife.
Which Brady kid appeared in all 117 episodes of The Brady Bunch?
a) Bobby b) Cindy c) Greg d) Jan e) Marcia f) Peter
The answer to yesterday’s question.
Which sitcom debuted as the top-rated series overall in prime-time in its first week?
a) All in the Family b) Friends c) Good Times d) Home Improvement e) Laverne & Shirley
Is: e) Laverne & Shirley, which even surpassed Happy Days…its lead-in. To the masses who answered All in the Family, ratings for that short first season were so bad it was thisclose to being canceled.
All together now…
We’re gonna do it! Give us any chance, we’ll take it. Give us any rule, we’ll break it. We’re gonna make our dreams come true. Doin’ it our way.
Nothin’s gonna turn us back now, Straight ahead and on the track now. We’re gonna make our dreams come true, Doin’ it our way.
There is nothing we won’t try, Never heard the word impossible. This time there’s no stopping us. We’re gonna do it.
On your mark, get set, and go now, Got a dream and we just know now, We’re gonna make our dream come true. And we’ll do it our way, yes our way. Make all our dreams come true, And do it our way, yes our way, Make all our dreams come true For me and you.
-Current kudos goes to: Gerry Bixenspan, Paul Certo, Mark Cosenza, Audrey Davis, Julie Friedlander, Bob Ingersoll, Irene Kirschner, Scott Lober, Francine Purcell, Jerry Gibbons, David Jackino, Alan Perris, Anthony Salerno, Ronnie Tallant, Carol Teichman, Larry We
Marc, I believe MOWE, which you called a series low, was lower last week (2.7). Looks like all of NBC got a bounce from the decreased competition, but MOWE got the smallest.
The increase at 9:30 for Sammie Who would seem to indicate that, even with 2.5 Men in repeats, there are some people that are watching Men and flipping over to SW.
That led into Boston Legal, with a second-place 5.4/ 9 from 10-11 p.m., and growth out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Samantha Who? of 15 percent. Next Monday marks the series-finale of Boston Legal.
'Boston Legal' was brilliant last night, with Miss Betty White reprising her Catherine Piper role (her ringtone, the theme music from 'The Practice'), and she was in fine form, suing the television networks for their ageism in not offering programming for the well-to-do, only-ones-left-with-disposable-income 50+ demographic.
Since she won her lawsuit against the networks, Mr. David Kelly should now build a 10 pm ABC series around Catherine Piper. She'll kick Detective Caruso's ass!
That led into Boston Legal, with a second-place 5.4/ 9 from 10-11 p.m., and growth out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Samantha Who? of 15 percent. Next Monday marks the series-finale of Boston Legal.
'Boston Legal' was brilliant last night, with Miss Betty White reprising her Catherine Piper role (her ringtone, the theme music from 'The Practice'), and she was in fine form, suing the television networks for their ageism in not offering programming for the well-to-do, only-ones-left-with-disposable-income 50+ demographic.
Since she won her lawsuit against the networks, Mr. David Kelly should now build a 10 pm ABC series around Catherine Piper. She'll kick Detective Caruso's ass!
Damn good idea for a spin-off with Betty White as Catherine Piper! Boston Legal was fantastic last night. I loved that they sued the networks for ageism and won! David E. Kelley is a genius. I also loved the digs at ABC during the balcony scene about the lack of promotion...Mushu, I thought of you when Alan said that... We've been complaining about ABC's lack of promotion BL for years now. I'm glad DEK feels the same way and called them out on it.
So sad to see BL go next week. ABC should have kept it for at least the full season. They need it. Talk about consistent. They really jumped the gun by announcing a final 13 last spring.
Posts: 346 | Location: Indiana | Registered: 10 January 2007
Originally posted by spotupj: Marc, I believe MOWE, which you called a series low, was lower last week (2.7). Looks like all of NBC got a bounce from the decreased competition, but MOWE got the smallest.
The increase at 9:30 for Sammie Who would seem to indicate that, even with 2.5 Men in repeats, there are some people that are watching Men and flipping over to SW.
At least based on overnights, Gossip Girl doesn't need OTH to be a hit, but OTH needs GG. Privileged airs next week out of GG again... will its ratings / retention improve is the big question.
I know it's to be mostly expected, but Shrek the Halls dropped like a stone from last year (which, I know, was the holiday special's premiere). A couple years from now, we'll know if it's really a "new classic".
Originally posted by TravisYanan: At least based on overnights, Gossip Girl doesn't need OTH to be a hit, but OTH needs GG. Privileged airs next week out of GG again... will its ratings / retention improve is the big question.
I know it's to be mostly expected, but Shrek the Halls dropped like a stone from last year (which, I know, was the holiday special's premiere). A couple years from now, we'll know if it's really a "new classic".
You can hardly compare the competition GG had this week with the one OTH had last week
Originally posted by TravisYanan: At least based on overnights, Gossip Girl doesn't need OTH to be a hit, but OTH needs GG. Privileged airs next week out of GG again... will its ratings / retention improve is the big question.
I know it's to be mostly expected, but Shrek the Halls dropped like a stone from last year (which, I know, was the holiday special's premiere). A couple years from now, we'll know if it's really a "new classic".
You can hardly compare the competition GG had this week with the one OTH had last week
Of course direct comparisons are impossible. Hell, OTH even aired a rerun at 8pm, so of course GG was going to do better than that.
Based on the overnights alone, the CBS comedies were barely off last week's marks, despite being repeats. Yes, the holiday specials did about 60% of what DWTS did. Once the fast nationals are out, I don't expect as huge a difference between DWTS's demo numbers and the holiday specials', even if the viewership is little more than half. The specials might do even better in the youth demos... after all, DWTS is an old, old, old skewing show.
Fact remains, OTH was against the same or similar competition every week the rest of this season (obviously excepting the early September airings), but last week because it didn't have the original GG lead-in, it dropped about 1/4 of its audience.
How is Chuck still a loser? It bottomed out with its lowest ratings of the season in, if I recall correctly, the second episode and since then it has slowly improved both in the key demos and total viewers. With the erosion of Heroes and the bomb that is MOWE, I would think Chuck warrants at least an Honorable Mention for not imploding and at the very least holding its own against the Monday juggernaut of DWTS (now on break) and BBT/HIMYM.
Just my thoughts Marc...just my thoughts.
Posts: 6 | Location: My basement | Registered: 26 January 2008
That led into Boston Legal, with a second-place 5.4/ 9 from 10-11 p.m., and growth out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of Samantha Who? of 15 percent. Next Monday marks the series-finale of Boston Legal.
'Boston Legal' was brilliant last night, with Miss Betty White reprising her Catherine Piper role (her ringtone, the theme music from 'The Practice'), and she was in fine form, suing the television networks for their ageism in not offering programming for the well-to-do, only-ones-left-with-disposable-income 50+ demographic.
Since she won her lawsuit against the networks, Mr. David Kelly should now build a 10 pm ABC series around Catherine Piper. She'll kick Detective Caruso's ass!
DEK should leave Boston lawyers alone or a while and go back to Chicago. And, for the love of god, he should try to get FOX or NBC to air his shows, because both The Practice and BL have been pearls before swine at ABC.
Originally posted by TravisYanan: I know it's to be mostly expected, but Shrek the Halls dropped like a stone from last year (which, I know, was the holiday special's premiere). A couple years from now, we'll know if it's really a "new classic".
Well that's about the amount it got for its encore last year when it aired for the second time a few weeks after the premiere. I'd say its pretty positive. The Grinch, as always, made me excited for the holidays.
We've been complaining about ABC's lack of promotion BL for years now. I'm glad DEK feels the same way and called them out on it. 
